Czech Christian activist’s co-accused remain in Sudan prison

February 28 - 2017KHARTOUM

Petr Jašek aboard the plane back to Czech with Minister of Foreign Affairs Lubomír Zaorálek on 26 February 2017 after President Al Bashir issued a pardon for his release (photo by Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

The Sudanese president's recent decision to pardon a Czech activist has shed light on the case of his co-accused, who are now serving a 12-year sentence in a Khartoum prison.

Following a request by the Czech Foreign Minister to release Christian activist Petr Jašek from his life sentence on charges of espionage, President Omar Al Bashir issued a pardon on 26 February. Jašek had been in prison for a month after a case that dragged on for two years.

His co-accused, Rev. Hassan Abdelrahim Kodi, and Darfuri student and activist Abdelmunim Abdelmoula, were each sentenced to 12 years imprisonment and will remain in Kober Prison. In the meantime Jašek has left Sudan, accompanied by his country's Foreign Minister who was visiting Khartoum.

Lawyer Dimas James Marjan, leading the defence for the pastor and the activist, told Radio Dabanga yesterday that the amnesty decree issued by Al Bashir under Article 211 of the Constitution did not include his other clients.

“But I expect the appeal court in Khartoum to write-off the complaint filed against them, based on a reading of the legal assessment of the charges and sentence.”